


The Chip in Armour

by Avice



Series: The Constant [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Falling In Love, Jealousy, Love, M/M, Male Homosexuality, POV Sherlock Holmes, Romance, Romantic Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 23:40:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,135
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/424494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Avice/pseuds/Avice
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sherlock's and John's relationship develops slowly further. Missing scenes from The Great Game and A Scandal in Belgravia. Spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Chip in Armour

The lights reflect hazily from the pool as Sherlock enters. John. So, it was John all along. Moriarty. Except it can’t be. No. Sherlock’s insides seem to turn upside down. The taste of bile rises to his mouth. This is how John disappoints him. Betrays him. No. It can’t be. Sherlock focuses, pushes feelings aside. If there has ever been a need to gather the facts and make deductions instead of jumping to conclusions, it is now. His mind racing Sherlock observes: clues, markers, something. He has gone cold, mind and body focusing on one thing only. And there it is – John’s tone, his expression and most of all the parka that is too big and still not loose. No, it’s only a bomb wrapped around him that’s making John say these things. He is not Moriarty. For a split second Sherlock is relieved. Until he is murderous. The nerve! Children, old women and casual bystanders can blow to bits any day for all he cares, but no one, no one hurts John.

Yet he is helpless. He can only chat with Moriarty, amuse him, show him tricks like a lap dog hoping for a treat. When really he wants to grab Moriarty by the neck and smash the lunatics face against the tiling. Keep on pounding until no trace of that insane smile can be found. But it would be too easy. It would not be according to the rules of Moriarty. Sherlock has to admit that besides being completely off his rocker Moriarty is a good little psychotic arc nemesis with intelligence worthy of Sherlock’s attention. He doesn’t like it, but he can’t help but respect him and follow his rules. This time.

Sherlock has a weakness now. Marvellous. More like an open wound into which anyone can stick their fingers and twist. Maybe it didn’t show on his face. He is machine like in his control. Maybe on his face was only the concern for children, old women and the like. Well, the speed with which he ran to John to strip him would’ve been telling enough. Nothing machine like in that. Except for the efficiency. 

Lost in thought Sherlock reaches over the seat of the taxi and squeezes John’s hand briefly. A pulse, life. Neither of them speaks and Sherlock continues to stare out the window as the city races ever onwards in its hectic, unstoppable pace.

Sherlock picks up a habit of following John more closely after that. He learns his routes and makes sure his contacts on the street alert him of anything suspicious, any deviation from John’s routines. There is nothing telling about that. John is not the first, nor the only person he keeps close tabs to, although John is the only one who he follows out of fear for his safety. The others are mostly criminals whose whereabouts and comings and goings he likes to know, but the network doesn’t need to know about the exception. Sometimes he disguises himself as one of them and sits in a corner or hustles passersby for change to see John pass him unsuspecting, often tossing a coin his way. The man has a soft heart. 

\--

The ash tray from Buckingham Palace is his first gift to John. How gorgeous he looks when he laughs. It is an impressive ash tray, fits right in with the rest of their bric-a-brac. Sherlock resists the temptation to kiss John. It might wipe that smile off his face, if for no other reason but surprise and that simply won’t do. 

Irene Adler is beautiful and intelligent. Refreshingly so. She fits Sherlock’s type perfectly and yet the feeling of attraction doesn’t linger. He wouldn’t object to forming a closer acquaintance, but there is no temptation to overcome either. It is flattering that the woman dominating London’s high-ups shows such an evident interest. She is obviously used to getting what she wants. The who doesn’t even enter the equation as they are all lining up to be picked. She is a remarkable woman. But more importantly, she bothers John. 

It’s the first time Sherlock considers that the feeling of attraction might be mutual. John is always so genial in his conduct towards everybody that Sherlock hasn’t troubled himself with wishing for something more. Not that it has troubled him. Just John’s continued presence in his life has been more than he could hope for. But the way John reacts to Irene’s texts is decisive. And therein lies the real fascination of Irene Adler. She makes John jealous. Sherlock finds that he enjoys it. To answer Irene’s texts would surely mean that they stop sooner than later, so he doesn’t. It is perhaps a cruel game. But one Sherlock can’t resist as John is off to another date with some boring woman. There is no guessing what he sees in them. Well, they are hard working respectable citizens. As fascinating as cardboard.

Irene’s death throws him off balance. Has his concentration on his little pastime of jealousy cost a life? Could he have done something if he had focused more on the case and less in these idiotic feelings? He dismisses the thought as Irene is more than capable of taking care of herself. John’s attempts at consoling him on the other hand are motivation enough to slightly exaggerate the bereavement. 

If Sherlock could be ashamed of his behaviour, he just might be in this instance. But the looks John gives him make him all warm inside. The sun blazes at him and he could lie in it for hours. It is lucky for his work that the looks attempt to be sly and turn away immediately as he raises his gaze. Which is why he often doesn’t. He basks in the warmth and sometimes even forgets what he was doing. But when the violin stops playing or the experiment comes to a halt John always turns away. The leaves shift back providing cover and Sherlock can focus again. 

Their life also takes on a new physical closeness. John never initiates it, but on occasion Sherlock strokes his back in passing or leans on him when they watch the telly. If he's half lying down, he can put his head on John's shoulder and if he's lucky, John will wrap his arm around him. Sherlock finds that it is soothing to touch John. There is a calmness that spreads in him and clarifies his mind just by pressing his hand to John’s. The moments are fleeting and never discussed. It’s just another aspect to their relationship that fits in seamlessly with the rest. Whether Irene Adler is alive or dead or missing or back again doesn’t really matter apart from the fact that Sherlock likes to preserve what little intelligence can be found in the world.


End file.
